Airliners-India.com

karatecatman · Guest

A UNI report (Dec. 27) says that Airbus is in talks with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility.
At the same time, the Airports Authority of India has also initiated talks with Indian Airlines for setting up a similar facility in a JV at the existing Hyderabad airport.

Airbus is looking at a tie-up with HAL as part of its couter-trade initiatives for winning the $2.2-billion Indian Airlines aircraft order. Airbus had also been in talks with Indian for a similar venture, and is now also looking at HAL as part of plans to have a more comprehensive alliance in the market. A final decision on the alliance partner will be made early next year.

The decision to initiate talks with HAL doesn't mean that Airbus has decided to tie-up with them. Airbus has also held discussions with Indian and hopes to put everything together by early next year so as to make a formal announcement said Airbus India president Kiran Rao.

Sources have said this venture is expected to based in south India with Bangalore being the most likely candidate as the current airport would offer huge tracts of land once commercial flights are shifted to the new airport next yearend.

The Ruias-promoted Essar group have also proposed to set up an aircraft MRO to tap the growing need for aircraft maintenance and service. The company has already shortlisted Thiruvananthapuram as the site for the facility, and proposes to establish it along with AAI. With this facility, Essar intends to also tap the demand from nearby markets like Gulf, the report says.